Anyone who says there is no such thing as a free lunch has not heard about the Bread Basket Community Kitchen.

Every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., students and State College residents gather in St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 109 McAllister St., for free soup, bread, fruit and a chance to connect with the community.

"It's an opportunity for folks from town to meet students and get involved," said Pam Porter, a State College resident and volunteer. "It's a chance to break from that mold of separation between the university and the town."

The Community Kitchen is operated by a number of churches in the area. A member of the State College Assembly of God, 2201 University Dr., makes the soup for the kitchen and St. Paul's provides the location.

State College resident Lois Straw has volunteered at the community kitchen since early November, when St. Paul's began the weekly event. Straw picks up bread donated to the kitchen by Panera Bread, 148 S. Allen St., every week. "It's worked out well so far," Straw said. "There's great fellowship and camaraderie."

Lauren Clark (junior-advertising) and Daniel Ticona (senior-journalism) started volunteering at the community kitchen around Christmas as a way to give back to the community during the holiday season. "Giving doesn't stop after the holidays," Clark said. "I really like the atmosphere -- it's a home-away-from-home type of place. You get hooked."

Ticona said he likes volunteering at the community kitchen because of all the people he gets to meet each week.

The community kitchen serves lunch for 40 to 60 residents and students every week. Richard Wynkoop (graduate-forest resources) said a wide range of people come together in the community kitchen.

"It helps bring a variety of people together that are not typically together in one setting," Wynkoop said. "It's a wonderful eclectic mix of people."

While many different people come to the community kitchen, most of the diners are students because of the convenient location, Porter said. Because of this, the kitchen was closed between semesters and will not be open over spring break.

Plans for the summer are still up in the air, she said. "We have an idea of doing sandwiches [instead of soup] in the summer, but it depends on if we have a market," Porter said.

Patricia Dills and Karin Musser, State College parking enforcement officers, said they like eating lunch at the community kitchen.

"We just come to eat and talk," Musser said. "It's more relaxing than eating at work."

Even though students and State College residents eat together, Dills said she has not met many students.

"There were a lot of students here last time, but none of them sat with us," Dills said.

"But some of them went out and fed their meters."

The biggest goal of the community kitchen is to bring the community together, Porter said.

"It's about outreach and fellowship, not evangelism," Porter said. "It's really about getting a warm bowl of soup and a good meal."